The Heiden family was delighted to welcome numerous visitors to their "Farm Festival at the Aubauernhof" in the beautiful Mostviertel region on May 26th. In cooperation with the BIO Institute of the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, BIO Austria, and of course the Heiden family themselves, a diverse program on the topic of biodiversity in grasslands was put together – attracting many interested farmers, neighbors, and families.
Practical lecture series on the topic of biodiversity
The morning was dedicated to agricultural topics. The tour and presentation of the Aubauernhof farm provided insights into daily agricultural work. This was followed by presentations on topics such as the benefits of the Austrian Program for Environmentally Sound Agriculture (ÖPUL) biodiversity requirements for individual farms and the BIO Austria biodiversity calculator. Practical application was ensured by a field walk with Walter Starz on the newly established meadow of smooth oat grass, where he captivated the visitors with his extensive knowledge of local grassland management and improving biodiversity in grasslands.
The BIOblitz framework sharpens understanding of local biodiversity.
A key element of the afternoon's program was the "Framework" BIOBlitz walk to the Ybbs River. A major goal of the EU project "Framework" is to highlight the contributions of farmers to promoting and preserving biodiversity and to make this more accessible to people unfamiliar with agriculture, something the BIOBlitz successfully achieved. The aim is to identify as many species of plants, birds, insects, and fungi as possible.
Photos and audio recordings, identified using the i-Naturalist and BirdNET apps respectively, aided in the identification process. This provided participants with simple and easy-to-use tools for identifying further species. During a leisurely walk to the Ybbs River, various wild bees, butterflies, and other insects were caught, visualized, and identified using insect nets and magnifying glasses.
With the help of i-Naturalist, plants such as the spiked devil's claw and the columbine could be identified. A relaxed atmosphere for conversation developed, fostering a lively exchange between farmers and consumers. The goal of the "Framework" BIOblitz was to raise visitors' awareness of local biodiversity and increase their understanding of agricultural practices.
The farm festival was a very successful event, providing many insights into local agriculture and its positive contribution to biodiversity. We would like to sincerely thank the Heiden family for their openness and for allowing the BIO Institute of the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein to participate as part of the "Framework" project.
